Tension-take-up device for knitting machines



Sept. 11, 1928. 1,683,989

M. RICHTER TENSION TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 5, 1928 v MAX RICHTER INVENYOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

UNETED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

MAX RICHTER, OF WYOMI-SSING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TEXTILE MACHINE WORKS, OF WYOMISSING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TENSION-TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Application filed February 3, 1928. Serial No. 251,495.

My invention relates particularly to ten sion take-up devices such as are employed in knitting full-fashined stockings for gripping the knitted leg fabric intermedaatents length and tensioning it properly during subsequent knitting of the foot; my ob ect being to provide an improved device for this purpose which is rea'dily engaged and d sengaged with the fabric without harm to the latter, even when formed of the sheerest chifion, and so designed as to provide an equalized strain throughout the width of the fabric 'as needed for perfect production. The

invention is fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the novel features are clearly defined in the appended claim.

, Fig. 1 is a perspective diagrammatic view indicating a knitted stocking leg having one end thereof engaged on the needles of 1a knitting machine and its opposite end portion hanging loosely over a usual guide rod of the machine, with my improved tension take-up device shown as intermediately en- 5 gaging the fabric and connected by a strap to the usual tension take-up roll or drum.

Fig. 2 is a separate perspective view of my improved device.

In knitting full fashioned stockings it is common practice to knit the leg and heel tabs on one machine, and to then transfer such partially completed stocking to a footer machine to knit the foot portion, by outwardly spreading the heel tabs so as to form an extended straight line with the instep loops and engaging the fabric along such line on the needles of the footer. .To properly tension the fabric and take it up as knitting proceeds on the footer, some means must be provided to grip the fabric and its extended heel tabs and exert a constant regulated pull thereon. Devices for this purpose have heretofore been employed in connection with a strap to the machine take-up roll or drum, but there is-great need of combining in such a device simplicity and ease of applying, with avoidance of possible injury to the fabric as well as the securing of equalized strains upon it, and it is the object of my resent invention to produce an improved device that will satisfactorily combine these needed features.

A usual partially knitted stocking fabric 5 is indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, with its heel tabs 6, 6 outwardly spread to form an extended line with the. instep loops 7, this being the position as transferred to the footer needles 8, the View indicating the finished portion of a stocking leg extending from the needles and loosely overhanging rod 9 of the machine as heretofore. 1O indicates the usual take-up roll or drum which is rotated as heretofore to exert a proper tensioned take-up upon the fabric, and is commonly connected by a winding strap 11 to some sort of a grip device adapted to engage the fabric adjacent the line of transfer and maintain its grip thereon during the knitting of the foot. 4

My improved device comprises a bar or plate 15, preferably shaped as Shown, and of sufficient width to attach thereto the fabric 5 with its heel tabs 6, 6, and having a slotted aperture 16 to which the usual strap 11 may be connected. The heel tabs being commonly formed of reenforced knitting, are not easily injured, and to engage them I employ end hooks 17, 17, which may be quickly engaged and disengaged in the fabric, one hook only at each end being shown as commonly provided heretofore.

Proper engagement however of the intermediate fabric width is important so as to not only provide for desired ease and speed of applying to the fabric, but also to insure against damage particularly to the at present popular sheer chiffon fabric employing lightweight silk the loops of which are delicate and easily injured, both in the act of applying the device and by the equalized tensioning strains imparted thereby tothe fabric. With these objects in view, I employ, as shown, a row of empaling pins 18, pro ecting upwardlyfrom the bar or plate 15 and arranged in a line parallel with the end hooks 17. 17. These pins are adapted to pass through the fabric without harm to the latter, and to engage the same so as to evenly and sufficiently distribute the strain due to their close alinement; the passing of the pins into the loop openings without danger of piercing the strands, being insured by proper dullness of the points.

The engagement of my device in operative position, indicated in Fig. 1, is readily and quickly effected by first engaging the end hooks 17, 17 in the tabs 6, 6, introduc ing them from underneath which is facili-' device to hang suspended from such hook engagement; then, after the fabric has been properly setb hand, swinging plate 15 up wardly, with ooks 17, 17 actlng as hinges, which swinging movement will cause the ins18 to empale the fabric at the'proper ine of loops with relation to the hook en- Y 'gagements so as to exert without injury an even pull on the fabric when the strap 11 is tightened to its proper tension. Such empaling of the fabric causes no damage to the am strands or distortion of the knitted oops due to such accurate location of the ins in the loops and the distribution of the atter across the width of the instep portion 7; and at the same time provides a simple and easily applied and removed device for the purpose desired.

What I claim is:

A tension take-up device'for full faslr ioned hosiery knitting machines comprising a tension bar having heel tab engaging end hooks, and an intermediate row of impaling pins adapted to engage the instep portion of the fabric in a line determined by the en- .gagement of said hooks so as to exert a practically equalized tensioning action throughout the Width of the fabric.

In testimony whereof I afiix 'm signature MAX RIi IHTER; 

